How Is the NFL Tackling Mental Health?

In 2021, the Indianapolis Colts’ Darius Leonard decided to share his battle with depression and anxiety publicly. It led to important conversations around mental health within the sport and prompted Leonard to take a leading role in the Colts’ Kicking the Stigma campaign.

Carolyn Reinach Wolf, a mental health attorney, discussed in an article on PsychologyToday how challenging it is for football players to open up. Shame and misconceptions surrounding various diagnoses can delay those who need help from seeking it. Conventional notions of masculinity further compound these obstacles, making it daunting for men to confront mental health issues. 

She concedes that there remains a significant portion of men who struggle to acknowledge that they have a problem. “I routinely see how the stigma long associated with mental illness can prevent individuals and families from seeking out much-needed counsel and treatment,” she writes. However, with more football players like Leonard speaking out, it is prompting not only fellow professionals to consider their wellbeing and potentially seek treatment, but the fanbase too. 

Positive change

In 2019, the NFL Players Association and the NFL joined together to create the Comprehensive Mental Health and Wellness Committee. It represented a significant step forward. This committee, comprising leading doctors, mandated that every team appoint a behavioral health team clinician.

Today, several teams employ a full-time clinician dedicated to mental health, while others have professionals in this role for at least eight hours weekly. This initiative has facilitated greater access to mental health resources for players, encouraging them to be more forthcoming about seeking assistance. This increased openness aligns with a broader trend among athletes advocating for the recognition of mental health as a critical component of overall wellbeing. 

The NFL has made great strides since legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers said football lagged behind other professional sports in a 2021 interview with The New York Times. He went as far as to say the NFL was a “dinosaur” in respect of tackling stigmas and supporting players in speaking out about “feelings, struggles and dealing with stress.”

A new era of mental health awareness

However, since then, players such as Lane Johnson, Everson Griffen, Calvin Ridley, and Bobby Wagner have all spoken publicly about their struggles with mental health. As an increasing number of players are talking openly, it is encouraging others inside and outside the sport to do so too. That includes fans. As Aaron Rodgers alludes to, the “vernacular that seems to tag [mental health] as weakness” impacts all walks of society. 

For example, gambling addiction among spectators has risen in recent years. Talking about the issue and acknowledging it exists is the first part of recovery. Seeking professional help is also important. Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has talked about embracing talking therapies for depression. According to casinoalpha, there is growing evidence, for example, that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help tackle gambling addiction as well as broader conditions associated with anxiety and depression. 

It’s clear that great strides have been made by the NFL. Establishing the Comprehensive Mental Health and Wellness Committee in 2021 was a pivotal moment. While challenges persist, the collective efforts of players, teams, and the league itself are fostering a culture where seeking help is encouraged, not shunned.